Luke's Wedding - A Harvest Moon: Animal Parade Story
by Okami Stormblade
Summary: Akari is in love with Luke - that joyful, crazy, wonderful blue-haired boy from the carpenter's shop - but there is a slight problem. Luke is about to marry Selena, the exotic dancer from Toucan Island. What is Akari going to do?


A chirping voice echoed in my ears, "Wake up, Akari! Waaakkee uuppp!"

"Ugh… Finn, shut up!" I rolled over, trying to burrow back into the dream that I had been having.

But, Finn – the tiny orange Harvest Sprite who had small black eyes and green hair under his too-large floppy orange hat – wasn't going to give up that easily.

"C'mon! We have work to do! Plus, at ten, we have to be at Celestia Church for Luke and Selena's wedding!" Finn shrilled happily.

"Right… How could I ever forget..?" My face pressed into my pillow as I flipped onto my stomach. I was trying to fight back the tears that threatened to flow.

I was facing every girl's nightmare – the guy who you are in love with is marrying someone else, and you had to attend the wedding while smiling and acting like you were happy for the couple when you just wanted to cry.

I had loved Luke – the carefree carpenter's son and apprentice – right from the moment we met that spring a year ago in Fugue Forest. But, I hadn't had the courage to say anything to him about it. We'd hung out quite a bit over the course of the two years that I had lived in Harmonica Town…but then the dancing Selena from the nearby Toucan Island drew him away from me.

And now they were getting married. The wedding invitation they had sent me a few weeks ago was burned into my mind:

_Please join us for this joyous occasion._

_The ceremony will be on Day 26 of spring_

_At 10 o'clock. We cordially request your_

_Company at Celestia Church to witness the_

_Beginning of our new life._

_- Luke and Selena_

It was really obvious that Luke hadn't had a hand in the style of the invitation. If he had, there would have been words like 'awesome,' 'extreme,' and 'axe.' That thought made a small smile form on my face, but only for a moment.

Meanwhile, Finn was doing a jig on my back, humming under his breath as he did so, trying to get me up. Feeling peeved, I sat up really fast and he went flying.

"Aaaiiiiiiyeeee!" He squealed as he tumbled through the air. Then I felt bad. I shouldn't be taking out my pain on my little friend, even if he was just being a bit over dramatic.

"Sorry…" I said sheepishly as I got up.

Finn stuck his pink tongue out at me, narrowing those black eyes of his. I knew that he wasn't mad at me. After a few years of living with the Harvest Sprite, I knew when he was being over the top and when he was actually mad at me.

"C'mon, Finn…" I told him as I pulled on my work boots. "We've got work to do…"

An hour and a half later, I was cleaning myself up after feeding my animals and tending my small field – and I was taking my sweet time doing so.

Finn flew around our small farmhouse, trailing glimmering specks of light behind him as he yelled, "_Huuuurry!_ You said you'd pick up Luna on the way there!"

"Finn, it is 8am! I have time." I cried as I pulled a light blue cotton dress over my head. The dress wasn't anything particularly fancy, but it was better than my work clothes. I quickly pulled on a pair of scarlet shoes before looking around. "Now… where's my bandana? Have you seen it, Finn?"

I had a bandana that was emblazoned with red flames that I had planned to wear.

"Here…" Finn gave it to me sullenly. "That's really not a good headpiece to wear at a wedding, ya know…"

"I don't care," I growled as I stuffed my short, spiky brown hair into the bandana. "Do you think Luke will take off _his _bandana?"

Finn had no answer to that.

At 9am, I picked up Luna from Mayor Hamilton's house.

Her long pink hair was curled as perfectly as always with those bright flowers in it. Her blue eyes were shining as she walked up to me, her hands unconsciously flattening the pale yellow sundress that she was wearing.

"How's Gill?" I asked – referring to the blonde-haired-blue-eyed son of the mayor who seemed pompous until you really got to know him – as we walked up the hill toward Celestia Church.

Luna and Gill had only been married for a week or so now. It was a bit odd that they got along well, considering that she was feisty and spunky while being fashion conscious, while Gill was very money oriented and didn't seem to have fun easily – but so far they seemed to be doing alright.

"Fine!" Luna told me brightly, and I saw there was a little bit of a skip in her step. "He'll meet us there. He was busy this morning, so he had to go to Town Hall early. He's probably at the church now with his father."

"M'kay…" I stared ahead, my eyes unfocused as my mind drew away from our conversation.

My thoughts had fallen on Luke and his bright blue hair and his golden feline like eyes… the bright grin and flame patterned bandana he wore on his head over his cobalt hair… the way he loved children.

I remembered that once when I was walking through the Garmon Mines District, little Chloe had fallen and skinned her knee. Luke had run to her and scooped her up and comforted her until Owen – Chloe's older cousin – had showed up.

I also thought about Luke's sunny personality, the way that he always found a way to laugh and brighten the situation, the way he looked on the brighter side of things and helped you see them as well, and the way he always found a way to cheer me up even when I was in the darkest of moods. Even the way he was goofy and a little confused and slow in important moments was something I loved.

Without that feeling – that wonderful, glowing feeling – that he gave me, it was hard to breathe, and even with it as well.

Meanwhile, Luna's sky blue eyes had clouded over – she had guessed where my thoughts were. As my best friend, she was very good at that. "Akari… I'm sorry…that things didn't turn out the way you had wanted… I'm sure some other guy –"

I quickly sped up – I didn't want to hear Luna's reassurances, her trying to talk me through this. She didn't understand what I was going through. Things had been simple for her and Gill.

Luna had to hurry to keep up with my quickened pace, having to take two steps for my one step because of her smaller stature. When she did catch up to me, she didn't press the matter any further.

By 9:30am, most of the wedding guests were already there. Dale – Luke's dad and the head carpenter – Bo – Luke's fellow apprentice, Mayor Hamilton and Gill – whom Luna ran off to talk to – Owen –Luke's best friend and sometimes partner-in-crime – Ramsey – the town's blacksmith and Owen's great-uncle – and Selena's parents, Samson and Sue – who ran the Pineapple Inn over on Toucan Island.

Perry, Harmonica Town's priest-in-training, greeted me. His dark hair glimmered with a deep blue sheen as he nodded to me. "Akari. Thank you for coming."

I nodded to him and managed a smile. My stomach was twisting painfully like a pretzel, but I thought that I managed to hide it.

I went and sat down on a pew, my left hand on the armrest. I looked down to the left, at the red carpet Selena would walk up. The red carpet began to look like fresh blood to me… I looked away, my stomach turning, and I felt little stabs of pain in my knuckles from clutching the armrest too hard.

Suddenly, Luna came up and slipped past me to sit on my right. "I told Gill that I needed to sit with you," she whispered to me.

I blinked and nodded, thankful for having her as a friend. Luna patted my arm, but didn't say anymore.

Soon, after everyone was seated, Perry walked to the front of the church and stood behind the dark wood altar. Stain-glass windows that depicted the Harvest Goddess and the Harvest King were proudly displayed behind Perry.

He took a deep breath before speaking aloud to those of us sitting in the pews.

"Let us begin the marriage of Luke and Selena."

I heard footsteps and I turned to see Luke in a blue tux with his sleeves rolled up past his elbows walk up the aisle toward Perry. Then he stopped before the altar and stood with his back to us and the main door to the church.

My heart was pounding painfully as I watched him. His vivid blue hair was peeking out from underneath his blue flame patterned bandana. I wanted so badly to go to him and take his hand.

But just then, the music heralding the coming of the bride started to play.

Selena walked up the aisle, her dark red hair flashing with all the gold weaved into it. Her bronze skin was glowing from the light that came through all the church's stain-glass windows. Her white silk dress shimmering as she glided on down the aisle. In her hands was a bouquet of snow white lilies.

"You have to admit, Akari," Luna whispered in my ear, "she looks beautiful."

I grunted quietly.

Yes, I did agree with Luna. Selena was down-right gorgeous. I'd never look that beautiful. But, oh how my heart wished she was walking towards someone else – anyone else…but not Luke.

I winced as Selena's magenta eyes flashed with joy as she saw Luke standing at the far end of the church.

Luke turned as Selena came nearer. His golden eyes were dancing with happiness as he held out his hand to her. I saw that he hadn't taken off the bandage that was always on the bridge of his long nose.

Selena took his hand – her dark skin against his pale skin – and both turned to Perry, who would be marrying them.

"We are gathered here today to witness the beginning of Luke and Selena's new life together," Perry began. He then turned to Luke and Selena. "Luke and Selena… Do you promise to love each other, in sickness and in heath…in good times and in bad…for as long as you both shall live?"

They both nodded, exclaiming, "I do!"

I choked back a sob in my throat, and Luna glanced at me, looking concerned. She took my hand and squeezed it. I could barely keep my eyes on what was happening up at the altar.

Perry nodded and closed the book he had been reading from, setting it on the altar. "Does anyone have any objections about these two young people being joined in marriage?" he asked.

Then I blinked in surprise, because – without knowing how and when – I was standing up, my hands shaking quite a bit.

"Akari!" Luna hissed, "I know you like Luke, but…"

_She must think I've gone too far…_ I thought. _Maybe I have. But I can't… I can't sit down now._

"A-Akari?" Perry stuttered.

Selena's head flew around to look at me, her magenta eyes narrowing. Luke turned more slowly, his eyes meeting mine from across Dale's and Bo's heads – who were also looking at me. There was confusion in Luke's gaze, but he didn't seem mad or anything – at least, not yet.

I was vaguely aware of Luna trying to pull me back down to sit again; vaguely aware of all the whispers floating in the air around me. I felt my cheeks starting to burn, but I couldn't sit back down. It was too late for that, and I knew it.

"Akari…what is your…objection?" Perry questioned, his eyes barely masking his confusion and faint disappointment.

I turned and stumbled forward up the aisle, knowing that it was what I was required to do. I was suddenly very thankful that Finn had elected to stay back home.

"I… I need to say something to Luke before…before he continues," I said, my voice shaking. I turned to Luke, my eyes starting to swim with tears, and quietly said in a voice that managed to carry throughout the room, "Luke, I… I love you…"

Luke stared at me with a startled expression on his handsome face. He cocked his head, his wild eyebrows furrowing slightly, and I could see that he was trying to process what I had said.

Selena, on the other hand, looked outraged with what I had said.

"Well, he's marrying _me_!" She hissed, "You had your chance! You let it pass you by! Now go sit down or leave! Right, Luke?"

"I –" Luke began, his eyebrows still furrowed and a confused look still on his face.

"She had no right to do this to us!" Selena raged on, completely ignoring her fiancée.

Tears were flowing down my face now, and I couldn't hold them back. My emotions were running wild, and my heart was racing. I bit my lip – not knowing where to look, not knowing who to turn to. My ears and the back of my neck were on fire, and I wanted to just run from the room and leave Harmonica Town, knowing that everyone was going to hate me now.

"Ummm… Shall we continue then…?" Perry asked softly, obviously wanting to stop what was going on before it went too far.

"Of course!" cried Selena, still glaring at me.

"I'm…not sure…" Luke said. His golden eyes were now glazed with confusion.

"Wha… WHAT?!" Selena shrieked. Her red hair was becoming disheveled as she shook with rage.

"I said…"

"I heard what you said, Luke! I just can't believe how you'd even consider leaving me for this dirty, smelly ranch girl!" Selena retorted, her voice rising rapidly in pitch. She was stamping her sandaled foot in anger.

My head snapped up, my brown eyes filled with rage. "I would gladly give up my dirty, smelly ranch to be with Luke! I would give up everything I have! I'd be happy to even be with him, even if I had nothing else!"

That surprised Selena. Her eyes flew open in shock.

"You would do that for me, Akari?" I heard Luke ask. His face was very hard to read when I turned to look at him.

"Yes, Luke… I would. I truly would," I murmured. My face grew hot as he studied my face.

"Why didn't you every say anything to me before?"

I watched the floor beneath my scarlet shoes, not knowing where else to look.

"Akari?" I glanced up, only to find Luke's golden eyes very close to mine. "Please tell me."

I let out a shuddering sigh. "Ok, Luke… I will." I took in a breath, trying to calm myself. "I wanted to tell you last winter… To tell you I loved you from the first day we met. But, by then… Selena was with you a lot… she was with you so much, I didn't know how to get you alone… Selena came to my door one day…saying that she liked you and was telling every single girl in town. I started to tell her I had feelings for you…I really did, but she didn't hear, or she just…ignored me. She ran off yelling her thanks over her shoulder…"

When I was finished, I was gnawing on my lip, waiting for him to say something, but it wasn't him that spoke then.

"But Luke loves _me_! Selena wailed, "He said he was lovesick for _me_!"

Luke's eyes were out of focus. He seemed to be putting something together in his head. "But… Akari was there…in the bar that night…"

"Huh?" Selena looked confused.

"The night I asked you to marry me… I had assumed it was you… But…" Luke's eyebrows furrowed.

Mine and Selena's mouths were hanging open.

I remembered that night… It had been burned into my mind like the wedding invitation… I had considered that night a few weeks ago at the Brass Bar one of my worst nights ever…

_I was sitting in the Armonica Bar at 5pm having a quick drink. The day had been long and hard. I had helped Bo out with repairing the bridge connecting Garmon Mines and my main farmland – _again_. So, I had figured that I deserved a quick break and a nice, cold drink before turning in for the day._

_Selena was dancing on the small stage to my right. She flowed gracefully through her dance moves. The music she was dancing to was quite beautiful sounding. As she danced, she seemed to intertwine herself with the notes of the music – if that was even possible. _

_To my left, Luke and Owen had been sitting and talking over their drinks at their own table while watching Selena from across my table._

_"Hey, Owen…" Luke's eyes narrowed. "Have I been acting…weird lately?"_

_Owen thought for a moment before answering in a slightly befuddled tone of voice. "Uh…no weirder than usual, I think."_

_ Luke shook his head vigorously. "No, lemme explain! I'm breaking out, my heart's pounding, I'm sweating… Should I go to the clinic?"_

_"Heh." Owen smirked, his dark blue eyes shining with amusement. "Sounds like you're just lovesick!"_

_"Really?" Luke blushed, and glanced at the drink in his hand. Then he looked confused. "But with who…?"_

_"How should I know?!" Owen grumbled, taking a drink from his cup._

_I was so engrossed in Luke and Owen's conversation – I was daring to hope that he was talking about me – that I barely noticed Selena had stopped dancing and had sauntered over, her hips swaying slightly as she walked. _

_ "Oh, I think you've got a pretty good idea." She said, winking and smiling at Luke._

_I turned in my seat to face them, wondering who Selena meant. I cocked my head and blinked a few times, my brown hair falling onto my shoulder._

_"Whoa… The symptoms are intensifying!" Luke cried out, rubbing his head in true Luke-fashion._

_"I do have that effect on men!" Selena laughed, and that small hope that had formed within me shattered into thousands of tiny pieces._

_Luke jumped up, one of those wild grins on his face. "Guess there's no cure, then. Ok, let's get married!"_

_ Owen had paused, his eyes wide as he watched the scene – it was almost as if he didn't believe that Luke was lovesick for Selena – but then he shrugged and began sniggering. The sound of his suppressed laughter covered the sound of my cup crashing onto the floor. _

_As my drink spilled out onto the floor, spreading like a pool of blood, a knot formed in my stomach, and I started to sweat._

_Selena's bronze skin turned a shade of red. "I'd love to… But are you sure I'm the girl for you? Dancing's my life. I'm not really good at anything else…"_

_I found myself feverishly praying to the Harvest Goddess, hoping that she'd at least give me this one thing after all I had done for her. "_Please, oh please…oh please… No, no, no…_" I whispered under my breath. _

_But, Luke was grinning happily. "Hey, no worries! I'm exactly the same!"_

_Selena started to get annoyed. "Uh, aren't a husband and wife supposed to complement each other?"_

_"Nah, that's overrated!" Luke laughed. "We'll be cool! Whaddya say? Lemme go pick out a ring right now!"_

_Selena smiled and blushed. Luke took that as a 'yes,' and they walked out of the bar together._

_Owen laughed louder. "Well… Who'd have thought that those two… I certainly didn't…"_

_I stood up abruptly. "Yeah." I choked out. _

_Then I ran out of the bar into the spring night, tears streaming down my face._

I blinked away the memory, reliving the pain and trying to keep myself from crying again.

_What is he saying?_ I thought. _What does Luke mean….? Why is he bringing that night up?_

But Luke answered that. "It was her. Every time my heart began to pound, it was because I saw _her_… Although…at the time… I thought it was because I was with you, Selena…"

Then I understood. He complained to Owen when he was watching Selena dance…when he was looking past me… Then, when I turned to watch him… He said his 'symptoms' were increasing… and Luke had always had been slow and he wasn't one to really think things out before he said or did something…

_Oh._ I was beginning to feel dizzy.

Luke turned to me, his golden eyes glowing with joy. "Akari! It's you! It's you that I love! It was so stupid of me not to realize that. I'm so sorry that I never saw how extremely awesome you are."

_That_ was Luke. Luke, the crazy, skater-boy who could really only use words like 'extreme' and 'awesome' to get his feelings out. Luke, that easily confused and a bit gullible boy with an axe that I couldn't help but love.

I could not begin to describe the soaring feeling that had come over me.

But that quickly disappeared as Selena screamed, "_How could you do this to me, Luke?!_ What does this rancher girl have that I don't? I am better than her!" She lunged forward, and the next moment I felt pain rip across my cheek as she slapped me.

With a muffled cry, I stumbled backwards, almost falling down, but I caught myself on one of the nearby pews.

"SELENA!" Luke yelled, jumping between us. "I'll tell you what she has that you don't! Akari has compassion! She loves all, and helps all! She is the kindest person I have ever met – and probably will ever meet! She works hard every single day, yet still finds time to visit everyone!" He took a deep breath before plunging on. "I can't believe that I couldn't see how jealous and controlling you are, Selena. I was so wrapped up in these weird feelings that I can't figure out that I was swept away and didn't notice what kind of person you really are."

I stood there in shock as this went on, cradling my stinging cheek. Tears were still rolling down my face, leaving silver stains against my skin.

_He watched me… He never stopped keeping an eye on me…even when he was with her…_ My head whirled as I processed these thoughts.

Selena's screech echoed through the church so loud, many of the people in the pews had to cover their ears. "Fine, then! Marry her! See if I care!" She turned stormed out of the building.

Her parents, Samson and Sue, ran after her, calling her name.

_She is expecting Luke to run after her… _I thought as I watched Luke.

But he didn't move. He just stood there…not doing anything, though I saw that he kept shooting glances at me.

"Uh… Well, that's the end of that," Dale chuckled from one of the pews. I glanced at him fearfully, hoping that he wasn't angry, but he just winked at me. "I always thought Akari would make a better wife than that silly dancer. But I wanted you to make the right choice for yourself, Luke."

Luke paled, but then blushed. "Yeah, Pops, you're right. I needed to see of myself that Selena was…" He trailed off.

Dale laughed and Bo smirked.

Perry coughed. I jumped – I had forgotten he was there. "Since we are all gathered here anyway, are we going to –?"

Luke cut Perry off. "Hold on! I wanna do this right." He then turned to me. I must have looked confused because he smiled at me. "I am sorry for all the pain I have caused you. So…" He knelt to the ground. "Akari, will you marry me?"

I felt myself sway, but Luke grabbed my arm to keep me from falling.

"I…um…." I was stuttering and blushing, hardly believing that this was really happening. Owen was sniggering in the background. Luna was rolling her blue eyes at me, mouthing, 'say yes, silly!'

"Well?" Luke whispered.

I nodded, "Yes, yes, I will Luke…that is…if you still want to marry me after I crashed your other one…"

Luke's familiar grin flashed across his face. "Of course I do!"

After Luna ran me out of the church to clean me up – she had wanted to remove my bandana, but I refused to do so – I found myself holding a bundle of fire red tulips – Luke's favorite flower – and walking up the aisle wearing my light blue dress and scarlet shoes I had put on this morning, which seemed like a lifetime ago.

Perry asked Luke and me if we would love each other always, which of course we agreed to. Perry asked if there were any objections – which caused everyone to laugh and made me blush.

I still believed that this wasn't really and it was all a dream until Luke slipped a ring onto my left hand, smiling that wild grin of his.

"You may kiss the bride!" Perry beamed.

I suddenly realized this was to be mine and Luke's first kiss. I was nervous.

Luke leaned forward, placing his hands on my shoulders. The smell of the pine trees that surrounded Luke's house wrapped around me…then he kissed me. As he did, I was reminded of the pot of honey we'd once shared together after he had ru- I mean, '_fought off'_ the bees that he had gotten it from.

Everyone clapped and hollered when we broke apart. We laughed as we waved to everyone.

Luke smiled down at me, "Thank you for everything, Akari."

I grinned back, finally having a reason to after weeks of not being able to, "No, thank you for giving me a reason to be here."

The End


End file.
